Georgetown University researchers have discovered a new class of strong magnets that do not rely on rare-earth or precious metals—a breakthrough that could significantly advance clean energy technologies and consumer electronics such as motors, robotics, MRI machines, data storage and smart phones.

“—a breakthrough that could significantly advance clean energy technologies and consumer electronics such as motors, robotics, MRI machines, data storage and smart phones.”

  • CocodapufEnglish
    4·
    1 day ago

    From that image it appears that this magnet is formed from a crystal of manganese, iron, cobalt, and nickel, which weirdly are all direct neighbors on the periodic table.

    What’s with that? Is this a crystal thing? Like are similarly sized atoms more stable in a lattice? I’m no chemist, but this strikes me as interesting, or at least weird

    • CookieOfFortuneEnglish
      3·
      23 hours ago

      Like are similarly sized atoms more stable in a lattice?

      Actually yes. That’s why you can’t arbitrarily add random elements into a crystal (well you can a little bit). If the geometries vary too greatly you introduce stresses into the lattice.